


Rookery

by Clockworkragdoll



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 05:07:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12381522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clockworkragdoll/pseuds/Clockworkragdoll
Summary: Lord Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III's third eldest child wasn't at dinner, and he wants to know why. The truth is, siblings are sometimes as hard to have, as they are as hard to not have.





	Rookery

**Author's Note:**

> This is not spoiler free, turn back now or forever hold your peace.

It was a chilly evening, as most evenings in Whitestone where, as Percy found himself climbing the stairs of the rookery, pulling Cabal’s Ruin a little tighter around him. 

The rookery hadn’t been his idea at all. His third eldest, Vesper, had asked for assistance with a rookery.With so many ravens gathering in Whitestone these days, it would be a shame not to accommodate and make use of such clever creatures. 

Percy tried to stay as hands off as possible, leaving most of the design and choices to his daughter. He had decided it would not to build into the temple of the Matron of Ravens, his wife quietly speculated he felt the goddess had taken enough from their family for several life times, and Percy hadn’t commented. 

Eventually she had decided on building the rookery onto Castle White Stone, a choice he was entirely grateful for in this moment.The last vibrant splashes of vivid orange and red where fleeing, surrendering the sky to the gentle blush of pinks and purples, the blackness of night hot on its heels. 

When Percy reached the top of the stairs, he found his third eldest child sitting in the sill of a window, legs dangling , kicking the air in front of her.

“And so, that’s how I ended up here,” she said to the large raven that had settled onto the sill next to her.The raven turned it’s head, looking directly at Percy, then scooted closer to teenager on the windowsill. Percy took a moment to collect himself, then knocked on the banister gently to get her attention. 

“Vesper?” he said “you didn’t come in for dinner, I wanted to be sure you were feeling well,”

Vesper turned, her long dark hair was piled onto of her head in a messy bun, only doing half the job of keeping it from her eyes. Her dark eyes that where rimmed red from crying. Quickly she looked back out over the flourishing city of Whitestone

“I feel fine,” she said “but you may want to check on Fredrick, he seems to have stick up his ass,”Percy sighed softly, picking a chair up before walking over and setting it next to the window. Then, he pulled Cabal’s Ruin from his shoulders and settling it over his child’s shoulders before he settled in his seat. Vesper could practically swim in it, it was so large around her, It was a fight not to laugh, Percy was the adult here and he would not laugh.

“I’ll keep it in mind,” he assured her “but why don’t you tell me what makes you think I should check?”

Vesper picked up the raven carefully, turning him onto his back , gently bouncing him in her hands. “Ravens have to trust you a lot to do this, any bird really,” She where staling, Percy knew, but he let her, the same way he’d start with talking about clocks and end up else where. 

“This one must trust you quiet a bit, have you named her yet?” he asked, gently pulling the bun out, starting to finger comb her hair. He’d convinced Casandra to teach him to braid hair ages ago so he could help Vex with her hair. It had payed off in spades.As her hair was combed out and segmented for braiding, small slivers of tension bled out from Vesper’s shoulders.

“ Not yet, I get the sense he’s male,” the gently pet along the raven’s beak “But he hasn’t really liked any of the names I’ve offered, so I just call him _Rashwe_ ,” 

“Trouble, seems well enough a name for a raven” Percy agreed, “is Fredrick also causing trouble then?”

“I-“ Vesper closed her mouth “It’s fine,” she said to her father “Fred is an asshole but he normally is,” she had stopped bouncing the raven until it made noises of complaint until she started again. “It started last week, he thinks I spend to much time in the rookery,” she bit her lip, shoulders slumping under the impossibly dark expanse of Cabal’s Ruin. “He said that I should be focusing on something more helpful to Whitestone,” She managed to keep her voice steady until the indigently hugging the raven to her chest, giggling when the bird craned its neck to attempt to preen her braided hair.

“Vesper, will you turn to look at me?” Percy scooted his chair back a bit, ready to steady her if it appeared she might tumble out the window.Vesper turned, though it did mean she had to set the raven back on his feet, she faced her father, feet planted firmly on the floor,clutching the edges of Cabal’s Ruin as if it where a life line. 

“ Vesper Michi Imke von Musel Klossowski de Rolo,” he said, gently taking her hands in his, hers where so _small_ in his. “Most importantly, what you’re doing at the rookery brings you joy. Second, I may have to check for the stick as suggested,” Vesper giggled, a few tears slipping out of her eyes. “ Because, what you’re doing is important to Whitestone,” He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his daughter’s forehead, gently squeezing her hands.

“I am proud of your work in the rookery, Vesper. More importantly, I’m proud of you for doing what makes you happy,” Percy smiled as the raven hopped onto her shoulder.His beak snuck in between sections of the braid, and seemed to pull out a flower, a bright red bloom. Percy made note to draw it and ask Keyleth what it meant. “See? Even Trouble is proud,” he said. 

“In all seriousness, I’ll have a discussion with your brother. It’s neither his place nor his business to say things like that to you, or any of your siblings.” he promised her. Gently he dried the tears from her face. “For now, if we go to the kitchens now, I’m sure they’ve put aside some dinner for you, we can even bring it back up here to eat,”

 

Vesper stood, and still engulfed in her fathers cloak, hugged him tightly, pressing her face into his shoulder before she stood upright, doing her best to pretend she hadn’t just been crying, securing Cabal’s Ruin around his neck. “I’d like that a lot,”

Percy stood, and the raven was gone, leaving only a small blanket of snow drops in its wake. Percy curled an arm around his daughter’s shoulders, leading her down the stairs into the warmth of the rest of her family.

**Author's Note:**

> The Flower in Vesper's hair is a Gladiolus, typically the most agreed on definition is one of strength, self sufficiency.
> 
> Rashwe is according to several sources Elvish for "trouble" but as there is not unifying authority on that subject, it works for me. 
> 
> The idea for this stemmed from a tweet from @alienfirst, so I hope it's some what up to snuff.


End file.
